The Crown has signed a deed of
settlement with Ngaruahine settling the iwi’s historical
Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The signing
ceremony took place at Te Ngutu o Te Manu in Taranaki. The
Crown was represented by Mr Finlayson, Minister for Whanau
Ora and Member of Parliament for Te Tai Hauāuru Tariana
Turia, and Minister for Courts and Member of Parliament for
Whanganui Chester Borrows. The signing was witnessed by
Member of Parliament for New Plymouth Jonathan Young, and
Claudette Hauiti MP.

The settlement provides
acknowledgements, an apology and redress for the Crown’s
actions and omissions, including confiscation and extensive
Crown purchases in the three decades following the signing
of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.

"Ngāruahine has waited
a long time to reach this day,” Mr Finlayson said. "No
settlement can fully compensate for the wrongs of the past,
but this settlement will enable the people of Ngāruahine to
move forward focus on developing a strong cultural and
economic future in the region.”

“The signing is the
first deed signing in Taranaki for many years and means that
five of the eight iwi of Taranaki will have signed deeds of
settlement.”

The settlement package includes a quantum
of $67.5 million, a right of deferred selection over 12
sites and the purchase of two South Taranaki District
Council sites.

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